Aurora to Host Ultimate Event in 2018 | Sports Destination Management

Aurora to Host Ultimate Event in 2018

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Jan 23, 2018

USA Ultimate, the national governing body for the sport of ultimate in the United States and member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, announced that its 2018 Masters Championships will be headed to the Aurora Area of Illinois. USA Ultimate will partner with the Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Aurora Area Sports Alliance, Ultimate Chicago, and the Fox Valley Park District for the event which will take place July 20-22, 2018, at Stuart Sports Complex, in Montgomery, Illinois.

"The Aurora Area is thrilled to be the host location the 2018 USA Ultimate Masters Championships," said Cort Carlson, executive director of the Aurora Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. "In partnership with the Fox Valley Park District, Ultimate Chicago, the Aurora Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Aurora Area Sports Alliance, the Aurora Area looks forward to welcoming hundreds of ultimate athletes to our region of Chicagoland. Stuart Sports Complex will prove to be an ideal location for play and in close proximity to lodging, dining, entertainment and attractions. Teams from all over the country will enjoy competing in and visiting the Aurora Area."

"The Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Aurora Area Sports Alliance are very excited to be hosting this event," said Pete Garlock, Director of Sales for the Aurora Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. "With several ultimate competitions taking place in our region in 2018, the Aurora Area is quickly becoming THE destination for Ultimate tournaments. Our fields at Stuart Sports Complex, and our comfortable and affordable accommodations are perfect for the ultimate community. We look forward to welcoming more Ultimate events this year and in the future."

After three consecutive years in Denver, CO, the Ultimate Masters Championships return to the Midwest for the first time since 2012. The combined mixed masters, women's grand masters and men's grand masters makes the event the second-largest annual USA Ultimate Championship event.

"While the Aurora Area has hosted many different types of major sporting events over the years, what we admire most about this event is USA Ultimate’s ‘Spirit of the Game’ philosophy," continued Carlson. "SOTG is how most people played games and sports with their childhood friends, and USA Ultimate’s desire to recapture that essence of joy in sports for their adult competitors, it’s a wonderful approach to tournament play, one that all competitions should adopt."

The 2018 USA Ultimate Masters Championships is yet another world-class sporting event that the Aurora Area is proud to host. In just the past few years, the Aurora Area has played host to: 2017 Neuqua Valley Knockout, another large ultimate frisbee tournament held at Stuart Sports Complex; the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) Fastpitch Girls 18U & 14U National Championships; 2017 NCAA Divisions I Men's & Women Golf Championships; Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Xtra Frame Parkside Open; the 2017 National Latino Amateur Boxing Association National Championships; and the largest high school soccer series tournament in the country, the PepsiCo Showdown Soccer Series, among many other tournaments and college-exposure sporting events.

The newly expanded Stuart Sports Complex has become one of the Midwest's premier athletic venues with 300 acres of action featuring 32 full-size soccer fields, 8 lighted baseball/softball fields, and parking for 1,300 cars.

About USA Ultimate: USA Ultimate is the National Governing Body for the sport of ultimate in the United States.

About the Aurora Area Sports Alliance (AASA): The AASA is comprised of representatives from like-minded organizations who support amateur sports of all types. In addition to the AACVB, these organizations include the City of Aurora, the Fox Valley Park District, Batavia Park District, Big Rock Park District, Sandwich Park District, Sugar Grove Park District, Yorkville Park District, area high schools, Aurora University, Waubonsee Community College, privately-owned sports facilities and area businesses. The AASA is committed to promoting the Aurora region as a prime destination for sports and recreation. The major goals of the AASA are to attract, create, support, and host sporting and recreational events that have a positive economic impact on the region, and assist in maximizing the potential of all regional sports facilities and venues. The AASA will strive to enhance the image of the Aurora Area by showcasing the community, promote wellness through healthy lifestyles, and improve the quality of life for community members of all ages.

About the Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (AACVB): Formed in 1987, the Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (AACVB) is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and marketing the area as a visitor destination. The goal of the AACVB is to enhance the economic and environmental well-being of our region compromised of 10 municipalities: Aurora, Batavia, Big Rock, Hinckley, Montgomery, North Aurora, Plano, Sandwich, Sugar Grove, and Yorkville. The AACVB aggressively promotes the area as an overnight destination and increases visitor awareness and expenditures for the maximum economic benefit of our tourism partners.

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